POLL: Babylon 5 or Stargate SG-1?

Discussion in 'Science Fiction & Fantasy' started by Dream, Jul 12, 2013.

?

Which show did you like more?

  1. Babylon 5

    68.1%
  2. Stargate SG-1

    31.9%
  1. Sindatur

    Sindatur The Gray Owl Wizard Admiral

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    Probably not included with the S1 Box Set (Mine isn't). It was available as a single Disk or as part of the Movies Collection (Movie Collection includes: The Gathering Pilot; In The Beginning Prequel shown after S4, Third Space (Side Story during S4, but, not tightly connected, so can be viewed any time after S4), River of Souls (Side Story in S5, but, not tightly connected so can be viewed any time after S5), A Call To Arms (Should be watched after S5, is a lead in to the Spinoff Crusade), Legend of The Rangers (A Pilot for a new Series which didn't make it to Series). Set generally runs $25-$30. The Gathering by itself, or the flipdisk with In The Beginning used to be quite cheap, but, I see it runs almost $30 on Amazon now too, though you can stream it for $1.99 on Amazon, if you don't have another way or don't get the Movie box Set.

    Additionally, there is the 13 episode Spinoff Crusade, which was just getting really good when it was cancelled (The Unproduced Scripts are awesome). Though TNT really screwed the Pooch with this one, they sabotaged it, because they decided they didn't want it afterall, gave JMS horrible "Notes" and messing up the airing order and no matter what order you watch it in, it never flows quite right, though some orders get it almost in order

    Also, there was a very low budget Disc Babylon 5: Ther Lost Tales
     
  2. Agenda

    Agenda Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Jason of Star Command beats them both.
     
  3. Mistral

    Mistral Vice Admiral Admiral

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    The two series are entirely different beasts. B5 took television into new, interesting and compelling areas. It started with a planned story and (mostly) stuck to it right to the planned ending. Stargate was more like a "we bought the rights-now what are we going to do with it?" series that turned out rather well overall. Stargate is more like Eureka-light and fluffy with bits of darkness mixed in. Its...fun. B5 is brooding, menacing and filled with foreshadowing. Nothing ever seems to come out neatly-and if you watch it as it aired, you find yourself going "Oh, God, what happens next?" The two shows are different experiences. Watch them both- they have different rewards, but both ARE rewarding in their own ways.
     
  4. kirk55555

    kirk55555 Vice Admiral Admiral

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    I've watched all 5 seasons, and I still haven't seen The Gathering (or In the Beginning, or any of the movies). As for the Sheridan/Sinclair debate, I can't pick a side. I liked them both.

    As for which show I voted for, I went with B5. Still, SG-1 is a great show with characters I really enjoyed, its just not quite as good as B5. That doesn't make it bad by any means, its a great show with memorable characters and story/
     
  5. DalekJim

    DalekJim Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    The movies are worth watching. The Gathering and In The Beginning are great. Thirdspace is fun Lovecraftian hokum, River of Souls is enjoyable enough and A Call to Arms is uh.... fucking terrible. Required watching though as it sets up Crusade.
     
  6. MacLeod

    MacLeod Admiral Admiral

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    I feel I must mention there was one other B5 spin-off which hasn't been mentoned yet and for good reason. Legend of the Rangers it's only saving grace was the scenes with G'Kar.
     
  7. Sindatur

    Sindatur The Gray Owl Wizard Admiral

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    oops, it was in my mind when I wrote my post, and I even remember thinking "Make sure to mention it was a failed Pilot", but, I guess my fingers just never got around to typing it out :alienblush:

    I think A Call To Arms is great. River of Souls, IMHO, is the weakest of the Movie Set. Though for Straight guys, it does have the Captain Cupcake Lingerie Scene.

    EDIT: Wait, I did mention it afterall, I take back the embarrassed face ;)
     
    Last edited: Jul 12, 2013
  8. DalekJim

    DalekJim Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    When I first saw A Call To Arms, I declared it to be the worst thing JMS would likely ever would write. He seems to have spent his entire subsequent career trying to prove me wrong ;).

    And now he's writing the script for the movie adaptation of one of my favourite comic book heroes. Not sure how to feel.
     
  9. shivkala

    shivkala Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    As most of my comments that follow are about Babylon 5, I'll admit, I voted B5 in the poll. Stargate SG-1 at least the first 7-8 seasons was great, but I was not a huge fan of the last two seasons. I think I'm one of the few male, heterosexual sci-fi fans who does not like Claudia Black and I felt her presence really ruined the last two seasons, though the scripts didn't help. The Goa'uld were great villains and the show did a nice job of mixing some threatening and some campy ones in there. The campy ones really made the show enjoyable, while the threatening ones made it consistently good. The humor in Stargate really elevated the show for me, but, overall, Babylon 5 wins for me. "Sleeping in Light" never fails to get me to tear up.

    It wouldn't be a new viewer thread for Babylon 5 if someone didn't mention "In the Beginning" and commenting that it shouldn't be watched first.

    Followed by people saying it's okay to watch first. Personally, I think that not having it spoil some major surprises out ranks any benefit it gives to new viewers.

    Just to be clear, the season 1 DVD set does NOT include "The Gathering." Just like "In the Beginning," some will argue that it's not necessary. While that's true, given the year between airings of "The Gathering" and season 1, "Midnight on the Firing Line" was written to appeal to those missed it, as well as those who saw it.

    You just have to realize that several changes were made, character, actor, and make-up wise between "The Gathering" and the first season. However, the plot points it brings up and the way it introduces Sinclair, Garibaldi, and the alien ambassadors makes it worth your time.

    Wow, I loved "A Call to Arms" and rank it as my second favorite TNT movie, behind "In the Beginning." "Thirdspace" is barely worth my time, especially for the fact that they all agree never to talk about the events of the movie again and the show never picked up on anything in it. As someone who shipped Zack and Lyta, the elevator scene drove me nuts.

    Yeah, I have to admit, I liked that scene. :evil: The rest of the movie was forgettable. It's a shame, because I loved the Zack and Garibaldi team on the show. Also, Martin Sheen, what a waste of an actor.

    Well, I liked his first few story-lines of Amazing Spider-Man, but I bailed well before "Norman slept with Gwen," "The Other," and "One More Day." His work on Brave and the Bold elicited a "Meh," from me, and I avoided his Superman and Wonder Woman runs (though, from what I heard of them, it seems "The New 52" was a mercy killing for those titles. Not a good thing when your the last writer on a title and what follows you is a complete reboot of the characters.

    However, he did write the Thor script and I really enjoyed that movie, so there's hope. Unless you hated Thor in which case, as a huge Green Lantern fan, believe me when I say, I feel your pain.
     
  10. Mr Light

    Mr Light Admiral Admiral

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    He didn't write the Thor script, he was just a consultant. I believe Ashley Edward Miller wrote it.

    I love B5 dearly but JMS' runs on Superman and Wonder Woman were godawful. And while I enjoyed his Spidey run (well, the first 2/3 of it) the whole thing was a rehash of B5. Right down to stolen lines of dialogue.

    And I thought "Call to Arms" was awesome!!!
     
  11. Jan

    Jan Commodore Commodore

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    ...is insane. --JMS
    Screenplay credit went to Zack Stentz and Don Payne.

    Curious to know what this refers to:

    Jan
     
  12. DalekJim

    DalekJim Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Last edited: Jul 13, 2013
  13. Dick_Valentine

    Dick_Valentine Commander Red Shirt

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    I have a similar question when I watch both series:

    Was Jesus a Vorlon?

    Was Jesus a Goa'uld?

    I guess both series had bills to pay, they couldn't state anything directly.
    But it's funny having them both imply every other religion was aliens messing around with us......all but...one.

    Anyway, I find Stargate a lot more "light" and Vanilla than Babylon 5. For the first few seasons it's Captain Sarcastic in space.
    For the final few seasons its "What do we do without captain sarcastic....."
    It can be funny though, with RDA's improvisations it feels like a straight sci-fi comedy sometimes, which is its strength rather than campy Alien overlords with their evil shiny eyes.

    B5 is a lot deeper and requires a lot more attention. It's hard going sometimes, but the rewards are there if you drag yourself through some of the crap episodes.
    Even when something seems standalone and boring, it usually comes back again to give you a pleasant feeling for sticking with it.
     
  14. Captain Craig

    Captain Craig Vice Admiral Admiral

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    How is there not a page for Shadowman on Wikipedia? Amazing.
     
  15. shivkala

    shivkala Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Isn't this the Shadowman page on Wikipedia?

    I'd have loved to see Kosh answer that question! Then, I'd love to see JMS, who is an Atheist, answer it. Despite (or perhaps because) of his Atheism, I feel that Babylon 5 is one of the most respectful sci-fi shows when it comes to religion. I often share how I connected to the show in the episode "TKO," when Ivanova's Rabbi comes to visit. After years of Star Trek and it's "We're too evolved for Religion," viewpoint, it was nice to see a show that acknowledged we're probably not going to eliminate religion in the next 200-300 years.

    I also really liked the bits we got about Foundationalism. It makes sense a religion would spring up after we found out we were not alone in the universe. I also like how it takes bits from various religions and combines them.

    I don't feel either show did that. It's been a while, but, I think the Goa'uld took on characteristics of the gods that were already existing.
     
  16. DalekJim

    DalekJim Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Babylon 5 handled religion really well for a sci-fi show. NuBSG completely copped out with an unambiguous mess of a monotheistic "God did it!" ending, and Deep Space 9 made a virtue out of blind belief and devotion to a higher power in the final season.

    Babylon 5 showed religion for what it was, a fact of society, and it wasn't glorified or demonised.
     
  17. MacLeod

    MacLeod Admiral Admiral

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    Religion like many things has a broad spectrum of levels of belief. From those who don't believe to those that have almost blind faith and devotion.

    In DSN you could say it's a matter of perspective, the Vorta and the Jem'hadar are bred to believe that the Founders are gods. As for the Bajoran's they gods where just another advanced race. Who may or not be Bajoran.

    As for B5 and the Vorolon's. Did't the Vorlon's manipulate the other races via in part Religon so that those races would act more favourably to them. When Kosh left his encounter suit most of the other races percieved him as an Angel(or their version of one)
     
  18. DalekJim

    DalekJim Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Shamelessly stolen from the Bene Gesserit's Missionaria Protectiva from the masterful Frank Herbert's Dune.
     
  19. Jan

    Jan Commodore Commodore

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    ...is insane. --JMS
    I can't find the quote at the moment but as I recall, JMS said that the Vorlons didn't appear as primary deity figures, only the equivalent of angels. So, G'Lan, not G'Quan; Valeria, not Valen. One thing JMS did say was that the Vorlons might have created that myth on some worlds but just exploited it in on others.

    Jan
     
  20. Admiral2

    Admiral2 Admiral Admiral

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    SG-1 by a hair.